Dog Bites on the Increase - and 8 ways to reduce the risk it's your dog doing the biting

Posted by Clare Bristow

dog-teeth A scan of this week's papers show that the reported incidences of dog bites is on the increase.

This is a seasonal trend and reflects the facts that people are spending more time outside as the weather warms up, and that female dogs tend to come into season in Spring thereby increasing the number of dogs roaming loose in search of a mate.

As dog owners it's our responsibility to keep our dogs under control and instil good behavior when they are young to reduce the risk of them biting people in the future.

If your dog does bite someone then its future could be in jeopardy. You will run the risk of facing a costly lawsuit, your dog being required to be muzzled and leashed in public or, at worse, having to euthanize your dog.

Here are 8 ways to reduce the risk of your dog biting someone:

Neuter or spay your dog - the Humane Society of the United States reports that a dog that has been spayed or neutered is 3 times less likely to bite;
Socialize your dog when he is young, and keep on exposing him to new sounds, people and environments throughout his life. A well socialized dog will be confident whatever the environment he is placed in and will be less likely to bite through fear and nervousness;
Do not teach your dog 'tug of war' or 'play wrestle' with him; these games teach your dog that aggressive play is acceptable - it's not;
Enrol you and your dog in obedience classes. Not only will you learn how to handle your dog but it will establish you as the leader in your dog's mind;
Supervise all interaction between your dog and children. Things can happen very quickly when children are around dogs - an ear or tail pulled or teasing with a toy can quickly escalate into a dog biting/nipping through frustration;
Don't put your dog into a situation where he could feel threatened or overwhelmed with the number and/or proximity of people. An example is if you are having a party at home - in such a situation it's best to put your dog on his own in a quiet room where he won't be disturbed;
When you are out in public keep your dog on a leash or under control at all times.
If your dog is outside in your yard, make sure the yard is properly fenced and visitors/passers-by can't lean over and try and pat or tease your dog.